Digital Commons Network^™

Description And Taphonomy Of A Turtle Assemblage (Chelonia: Trionychidae) In The Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene), Billings County, North Dakota, Glenn B. Kays

Theses and Dissertations

Soft-shelled turtle fossils (Family: Trionychidae) are common in Late Mesozoic and Early Cenozoic freshwater terrestrial deposits throughout western North America. Taxonomy of the Trionychidae is confusing for two reasons: 1) there are differences of opinion as to which characters are important in defining the lower systematic groups; 2) trionychid fossil material is often incomplete and fragmentary and has been used as the basis for numerous taxonomic descriptions.

The Ash Coulee Quarry is a fossil turtle assemblage located within the lower portion of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) in Billings County, North Dakota. This quarry has produced at least 40 individual …

The Effect Of Particle Properties On The Flow Characteristics Of Electrophotographic Powders, Joseph Pedano

Theses and Dissertations

The effect of particle size on the flow characteristics and tribo-electrical charge of dry electrophotographic (toner) powders was investigated. Toner samples, consisting of the same base formulation, but differing in particle size were prepared and studied using commercially available processing and analytical equipment. The effect of post-blending fumed silica into the toner was also investigated as part of this work. The results indicate that toner particle size has a strong effect on toner flow characteristics. The flowability measurements that were most affected by the particle size were the cohesiveness and compressibility properties of the toner powders. The data showed that …

Multi-Baseline Interferometric Sar For Iterative Height Estimation, Adam E. Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

Multiple SAR interferograms with judiciously selected height sensitivities can be iteratively combined to create a high accuracy digital elevation map. An initial height estimate is refined by iteratively using larger baselines to obtain a height estimation accuracy limited by the spatial decorrelation of the antenna baseline. Spatial filtering is used to reduce the propagation of errors for accurate height estimation. Images containing regions isolated by phase discontinuities, as often found in urban environments, can be resolved by this iterative multi-baseline technique. Computationally demanding and potentially unreliable phase unwrapping is not required to determine scene elevation using SAR inMultiple SAR interferograms …

The Simulation, Modeling And Analysis Of Wireless Local Area Networks Supporting The Ieee 802.11 Standard, Jaikwan Joo

Theses and Dissertations

Research to improve the performance of the IEEE 802.11 has been ongoing since 1990. The focus of this research has investigated the use of the MAC and Physical layers for improving throughput. An adaptive MAC protocol, CATER (Code Adapts To Enhance Reliability) is based on the proposed MAC standard for wireless local area networks (WLAN)-802. 11. IEEE 802.11 uses a fixed Pseudo-Noise (PN) code for spreading the information signal, implying a fixed process gain at the receiver. When the channel degrades, IEEE 802.11 offers only retransmissions at the MAC layer to contend with the corrupted medium. However, CATER allows communicating …

A Web-Based Prototype For Afit Edplan Administration, Tien-Chen Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This document details the design, development, and evaluation of a prototype course registration and reporting system for the students and faculty of the United States Air Force Institute of Technology. The web-based system provides HTML-based client interfaces and Active Server Page server processes for interaction with the relational databases used to manage course and personnel data. The system prototype was developed following the "Engineering Software Components for Web-Database Access" methodology of Dipiro. A survey of modern web-based database access techniques is first provided and Dipiro's methodology is reviewed as background. The remainder of the document details the application of the …

Feature Saliency In Artificial Neural Networks With Application To Modeling Workload, Kelly A. Greene

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research extends the current knowledge of feature saliency in artificial neural networks (ANN). Feature saliency measures allow for the user to rank order the features based upon the saliency, or relative importance, of the features. Selecting a parsimonious set of salient input features is crucial to the success of any ANN model. In this research, several methodologies were developed using the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) Feature Screening Method and its associated SNR Saliency Measure for selecting a parsimonious set of salient features to classify pilot workload in addition to air traffic controller workload. Candidate features were derived …

Collisional Effects In The Absorption Spectra Of The Oxygen A Band And Nitric Oxide Fundamental Band, Robert S. Pope

Theses and Dissertations

Fourier transform spectroscopy was used to measure pressure broadening coefficients in the absorption spectra of both the oxygen A band and the nitric oxide fundamental band. Oxygen spectra were recorded with O₂, N₂, CO, CO₂, SF₆ and noble gas collision partners, while nitric oxide spectra were recorded using noble gas collision partners. Pressure broadening coefficients were determined in the P and R branches for every resolved line for each of the fifteen collision pairs studied. In addition, broadening coefficients and qualitative evidence of line coupling were found for the Q branch of NO …

Three-Dimensional Calculation Of Contaminant Transport In Groundwater At A Dover Afb Site, Tariq O. Hashim

Theses and Dissertations

Macroscale rate-limited sorption modeling was tested using a production transport code, the GMS/FEMWATER ground-water modeling package. The code (Version 1.1 of FEMWATER. dated 1 August 1995) was applied to a 3D conceptual model developed from a field site at Dover AFB, DE. A simulation was performed of a 200 hour contaminant injection pulse followed by clean water flushing. A moment analysis performed on the resulting breakthrough curve validated code self-consistency. Another injection pulse simulation showed that retardation temporally delays the breakthrough peak. Transport simulations of pulsed clean water pumping of the test cell with a prescribed initial contaminant distribution demonstrated …

How To Develop An Interactive Electronic Technical Manual: An Industry Perspective, Ali N. Karabulut, Hilmi Oz

Theses and Dissertations

Improvements in technology, especially in computer science, in the last two decades have made it possible, and preferable to develop digital technical manuals. A digital manual, which is called an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM), is a package of information required for the diagnosis and maintenance of a weapon systems, optimally arranged and formatted for interactive screen presentation to the end-user. Being the largest organization in the U.S., the Department of Defense has pioneered in the development of IETM concept as well as in the establishment of its standards. There have been many researches done about different IETM applications and …

Development Of An Operations Research Software Package For Army Divisions, Blane C. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

There exists great potential for applying operations research techniques to solve specific problems in the areas of operations, installation support, and training at the Army division level. Because of the operational tempo of today's active-duty and reserve component units, command must focus on accomplishing the daily missions. Also, due their limited knowledge of the field, planners may not be aware of how operations research can be used to enhance planning and operations. Time, training funds, resources, safety, personnel, and equipment are all critical factors in this process. Operations research techniques could be used to improve division-level operations by saving time, …

Design Of The Computer Subsystem For The Afit Simulation Satellite (Simsat), Michael P. Hanke

Theses and Dissertations

This document details the systematic development of the computer subsystem for the AFIT Simulation Satellite (SIMSAT) from Concept Exploration to Implementation. This subsystem design effort was conducted as part of a larger four-phase team design effort to implement a fully functional, user-friendly test facility to meet current AFIT teaching and research requirements. Once SIMSAT system integration is complete, control laws will execute on the free-floating "satellite" to reduce communication systems overhead and its impact on control law execution, thereby allowing for more robust control system development and execution. Control law development, simulation, and interactive control of the system will occur …

"Pure Otherness": Directing Sexual Identity In Mac Wellman's Dracula, Darin D. Kerr

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Reconsidering Solidarity In The Mormon Village, Todd L. Goodsell

Theses and Dissertations

In what became a classic rural community study, Lowry Nelson concluded in his first Mormon village series in the 1920's that the Mormon village is characterized by an extraordinary sense of solidarity. He claimed that this strong solidarity can be primarily explained by four factors of the social group: leadership, conflict, cooperation, and ideology. After resurveying the Mormon village in 1950, he concluded that solidarity had declined. However, a few problems become apparent to the present researcher looking back upon Nelson's findings. One of them is that Nelson never had a clear definition of solidarity to begin with. Another is …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Polycyclic Bis(Tert-Butylamido)Cyclodiphosph(Iii)Azane Complexes Of Lithium, Magnesium, And Tin, Ingo Schranz

Theses and Dissertations

Synthesis and single-crystal X-ray studies of the bis(fert-butylamido) cyclodiphosphazane cis-[(tBuNP)2(tBuNH)2], 1, and its lithium, magnesium, and tin(IV) salts are described. The pristine molecule has crystallographic C2 symmetry, both N-H groups being disposed in an endo fashion, and crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2/c with unit cell dimensions (193 K) a = 9.600(4) A, b = 5.904(4) A, c = 18.97(1) A, /? = 101.09(3)°, and Z = 2. Treatment of 1 with "BuLi or (nBu)2Mg in refluxing THF yielded the heterocubic cA-[(tBuNP)2(*BuNLi • THF)2], 2, and the seco-heterocubic [(tBuNP)2(‘BuN)2]Mg»(THF)2, 3, respectively. The crystal data (233 K) for the dilithio …

Reasons, Goals, And Incentives For Corporate Philanthropy To Arts Organizations, Marsonda Mcnutt Schroeder

Theses and Dissertations

One of the methods employed by corporations to create a favorable relationship with its publics is to use philanthropy to not- for-profit organizations such as the arts. From a communication point of view, this action may be looked upon as a gesture between the corporation, the recipient, and the publics which involves messages both sent and received. Research on this communication gesture is important because arts organizations need to know how the process works in order to help secure philanthropic dollars. Corporations need to understand the results of the process so that they can more effectively achieve the goals for …

Decolonizing The Mind With Ngugi Wa Thiong'o And Chinua Achebe: Searching For A Voice In Postcolonial African Literature, Steven M. Almquist

Theses and Dissertations

Any discussion of postcolonial African literature requires consideration of both the inherent diversity of “African” and the complex history of colonialism throughout Africa. Ngugi wa Thiong’o claims there are “broad affinities” among the diverse peoples of sub-Saharan Africa which allow for a broad discussion of the common experiences of colonialism, but it is necessary to complement these broad affinities with specific cultural references and historic contexts. This paper attempts to delineate some of the common struggles facing postcolonial African peoples by focusing on the specific writings of Kenya’s Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Nigeria’s Chinua Achebe. Though they are from disparate …

Academic Achievement Of Intercollegiate Student-Athletes Compared To Nonathletes, James Reid Beal

Theses and Dissertations

Intercollegiate athletics have been placed under intense scrutiny over the past decade. Concern has been expressed about the role and value intercollegiate athletics has in higher education. Recent scandals of intercollegiate programs and student-athletes involved in illicit or criminal activity, recruiting violations, and academic fraud or failures have increased the anxiety and skepticism. However, is the skepticism surrounding the academic integrity of intercollegiate athletics and academic achievement of student-athletes warranted? Are academics being compromised for the sake of athletics? Is the stereotypical “dumb jock” a myth or reality? Do athletes perform as well academically as nonathletes?

The purpose of this …

Deinstitutionalization Effects On Medication Use For People With Mental Retardation, Paul D. Kolstoe

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, patterns of psychoactive medication use in institutional settings for people with mental retardation were considered excessive. Service standards substantially reduced levels of such medication use. Similar research in community settings has been limited, but comparisons between the two settings are fraught with complicating variables. Rapid deinstitutionalization in North Dakota provided a unique opportunity to follow the medication use patterns of people who stayed and those who left the institution. Follow up time periods were selected for statewide accreditation (1989) and several years later through which those standards have been consistently met (1995). Psychoactive medication use decreased with the onset …

Should Regulators Be Appointed? Evidence From A Study Of Regulated Electric Utilities, Terry L. Hagen

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Assistive Technology, Tammy Nielsen

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

What Constitues A Gifted And Talented Student, Stephanie A. Budish

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Woman's Transition From The Principalship To The Superintendency In North Dakota, Nancy Ann Gjovik

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Should Regulators Be Appointed? Evidence From A Study Of Regulated Electric Utilites, Terry L. Hagen

Theses and Dissertations

Capture and Hostility hypotheses are tested in this thesis. The Capture Theory states that state regulatory commissions are "captured" by the firms they are regulating. The Hostility theory states that elected commissions are "hostile" to the regulated firms in the eyes of the financial community, leading to higher prices and restrictions in access to capital. The capture theory predicts higher prices to consumers under the regulatory authority of appointed commissions. The hostility theory predicts lower prices to consumers under appointed comissions.

Inflation that was prevalent in the economy twenty years ago may have caused problems for empirical analysis. This paper …

The Effect Of Biculturalism On Self-Esteem In Northern Plains Native American College Students, Mary J. Wilkie

Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of biculturalism on self esteem in a sample of 51 Northern Plains Native American college students (29 females, 22 males). Subjects completed the Northern Plains Biculturalism Inventory (NPB1; Allen & French, 1994) and the Index of Self-Esteem (ISE; Hudson, 1982). Pearson Product- Moment correlations, independent t-tests, a multiple regression analysis, and an one-way analysis-of-variance was performed using the SPSS statistical package to examine, if any, the relationships between the NPBI subscales and the ISE total scores. This design tested the applicability of the Orthogonal Theory of Biculturalism (Oetting & …

Science Experiences Of Six Elementary Student Teachers: A Case Study, Jacqueline K. Wilcox

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study focused on the science experiences of six elementary student teachers. The purpose of the study was to learn how preservice teachers make meaning of science teaching during their student teaching experience. The sources of data were interviews with participants, descriptive field notes from observations of their science teaching, and artifacts collected from the site. The themes that emerged from data analysis were personal and professional career influences and constant adjustments of teaching strategies. The participants experienced these themes in varying intensities.

Learning to teach science to elementary children for the first time is complicated by the context …

Immediate Feedback Using The "Bug-In-The-Ear" In Counselor Training: Implications For Counseling Self-Efficacy, Trainee Anxiety And Skill Development, Shan A. Jumper

Theses and Dissertations

This investigation examines the delivery of immediate, in-session feedback using the “bug-in-the-ear” (BITE) as an instructional technique in conjunction with live supervision during the counseling practicum. The study was conducted to explore an effective means of supervisor intervention which did not disrupt the counseling session. Few empirical investigations have been conducted in this area, and previous studies on this instructional aid used in models of live supervision were largely narrative in design.

Counseling self-efficacy, trainee anxiety, and counseling performance were examined for twenty graduate student counselor trainees enrolled in the department of counseling at a northern plains university. Ten participants …

Synthesis, Characterization And Electrochemical Investigations Of Metal Complexes Derived From Pendant-Arm Macrocycles., Thomas Loren Hatfield

Theses and Dissertations

This Ph.D. research focused on improvement in the understanding of structurally perturbed electron transfer (ET) events. This broad category of ET was divided into the two categories of concerted and sequential mechanisms. Investigations of the concerted mechanism focused on the electrochemical behavior of six redox couples: (Cr(III/II)TCTA($\rm\sp{0/-},\ \lbrack Mn(II/III)TCTA\rbrack\sp{-/0}$, (Mn(III/IV)TCTA) $\sp{\rm 0/+$, (Fe(II/III)TCTA) $\sp{\rm 0/-}$, (Co(II/III)TCTA) $\sp{\rm -/0}$, and (Ni(II/III)TCTA) $\sp{\rm /-}$ (where TCTA is 1,4,7-triazacyclononane N,N$\rm\sp\prime,N\sp{\prime\prime}$ triacetate). After synthesis of TCTA and the Cr(III), Mn(II), Mn(III), Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(III) Ni(II) and Ni(III) TCTA complexes, each complex was characterized by UV-vis-near IR, FTIR, magnetic susceptibility and Molar Conductance. Electrochemical characterization …

Student Satisfaction With The Process Of Transferring To The University Of North Dakota., Mary E. Dalglish Bergstrom

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine issues related to the level of satisfaction with selected aspects of the transfer process of the students who had transferred to the University of North Dakota (UND). Research questions addressed several issues including the difficulty experienced in transferring to UND in regard to admission, advisement, and/or acceptance of transfer credit; the respondents' perceptions of the accuracy and understandability of information provided by UND; the ways in which students were satisfied or dissatisfied with the transfer admission process; and the respondents' suggestions for improvements to the transfer admission process.Data were gathered using a …

Development Of A Discrete Ordinates Code System For Unstructured Meshes Of Tetrahedral Cells, With Serial And Parallel Implementations, Rodney L. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

A numerically stable, accurate, and robust form of the exponential characteristic (EC) method, used to solve the time-independent linearized Boltzmann Transport Equation, is derived using direct affine coordinate transformations on unstructured meshes of tetrahedra. This quadrature, as well as the linear characteristic (LC) spatial quadrature, is implemented in our transport code, called TETRAN. This code solves multi-group neutral particle transport problems with anisotropic scattering and was parallelized using High Performance Fortran and angular domain decomposition. A new, parallel algorithm for updating the scattering source is introduced. The EC source and inflow flux coefficients are efficiently evaluated using Broyden's rootsolver, started …

Test Of Variables Of Attention (Tova) Utility In Differentiating Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Subtypes, Steven Andrew Westby

Theses and Dissertations

Research has indicated that Continuous Performance Tests (CPTs) can differentiate Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADHD) subjects from controls without any psychiatric illness. However, CPTs have neither accurately differentiated ADHD children from those with other psychiatric disorders—nor differentiated subtypes of ADHD from each other. The Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), a new CPT, has several advantages over its predecessors which may allow the TOVA to be more effective in this differentiation process.

Data from ADHD subjects was selected from children who were administered the TOVA as part of their evaluation for ADHD at Lakeland Mental Health Center in Moorhead, MN, the Child Evaluation …